It’s hard to say no to Myrtle Beach, where the sights, sounds and smells of the ocean and the boardwalk—from miles of sandy beaches and suntan oil to amusement rides and cotton candy—lure groups into the sunshine.
It’s the type of fair-weather destination that makes it impossible for planners to stick to an indoor itinerary, and pretty much requires groups spend some time outside.
Joining the option of simply setting attendees loose to stroll the boardwalk and dip their toes in the sand are the following six varied and terrific outdoor pursuits and attractions throughout the Myrtle Beach area.
LEO Events
The Myrtle Beach Area CVB or a local DMC such as LEO Events prove good places for planners to start when seeking assistance sorting through the heaps of outdoor activities in the area.
According to Cindy Brewer, principal at LEO Events, among the many popular options LEO organizes are the T.I.G.E.R.S. Wild Encounter Tour and beach team building.
She says the hands-on T.I.G.E.R.S. tour at a 50-acre preserve situated 12 miles from downtown Myrtle Beach is team-bonding at its best.
“The experience has been called ‘life changing’ by groups we have hosted there,” she says, explaining that attendees are paired into groups of three to four people and during the tour they interact with rare and exotic cats, uncaged orangutans and chimpanzees, and watch tigers swim, meet gray wolves and hold cubs.
During the tour, professional photographers shoot still pictures and video as a takeaway memento for the group.
LEO also created a Southern Beach Games team-building activity that active groups will enjoy.
The three-hour afternoon includes activities ranging from beach horseshoes to volleyball.PageBreak
Surf the Earth
Surf The Earth, located nearby Myrtle Beach in Pawleys Island, offers a full range of eco-tourism activities for groups.
According to owner Scott Benston, private surf lessons are popular, as are relaxing kayak tours.
“Groups can join us on our sunset or full moon kayak tours,” he says. “A relaxing high tide paddle to a beautiful location is a perfect way to end the day.”
He adds that there is an overwhelming interest in paddle boarding these days.
“We offer private paddle board surf lessons, daily tours through our beautiful salt marsh, and we also feature an exclusive tour through the beautiful Huntington Beach State Park eco system,” he says. “And if you’re looking for a spiritual escape, sign up for one of our paddle board yoga classes.”
He explains that this unique opportunity combines the best of paddle boarding and yoga, as participants paddle to a secluded beach where yoga instructors then take them through a custom-designed routine to start to the day.
Annual Festivals
Myrtle Beach area festivals and events provide a local flair to a visiting group’s experience, according to Kimberly Miles, spokeswoman for the Myrtle Beach Area CVB.
“Oftentimes groups get to experience local cuisine or activities they can’t get at other times of the year,” she says. “These events highlight the region’s heritage and culture, and many of them are free or low cost, so it’s easy to add a festival to a group’s itinerary.”
The Coastal Uncorked Food, Wine & Spirits Festival, which began in 2010 and takes place during the summer, is the Myrtle Beach area’s premier food and wine festival.
The eight-day event includes programs that celebrate Myrtle Beach’s restaurants and area wines, and also hosts outdoor entertainment, a golf tournament and live music.
Other area festivals include the Beach, Boogie & BBQ Festival, which is considered the “grand finale” of summer and features the official barbeque competition of South Carolina and live entertainment, and the Anyor Harvest HoeDown, an autumn event held in September that showcases more than 140 craft booths, entertainment, food, games and a parade.PageBreak
Hopsewee Plantation
Hopsewee Plantation, an original Colonial plantation house built between 1735 and 1740 in Georgetown, S.C., is the birthplace of Thomas Lynch Jr., a signer of the Declaration of Independence.
“While groups explore the plantation house, the tour guide will share stories of the patriots, planters and slaves who lived at Hopsewee,” says Raejean Beattie, manager and lady of the house. “There are also two original slave cabins on the site to explore.”
Hopsewee comprises approximately 100 acres on the picturesque North Santee River, 10 miles from the mouth of the Atlantic Ocean.
“Stately live oaks, beautiful magnolias, camellias and azaleas adorn the property and make a beautiful backdrop for group events,” Beattie says. “From picnic lunches to elegant dining in the tea room, our River Oak Cottage Tea Room can provide a magnificent feast for large or small groups.”
Lowcountry dinners, including oysters, shrimp and barbecue, can be facilitated on the grounds complete with views of the sun setting over the Santee.
Myrtle Beach State Park
Built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in the 1930s under President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s New Deal Program, the 312-acre Myrtle Beach State Park features a nature center and a backyard wildlife habitat with a butterfly garden and bird houses.
According to Ann Malys Wilson, interpretive ranger at the park, it’s a perfect meeting spot for groups who enjoy the outdoors and the beach.
“The park is a green oasis in the middle of the bustling Grand Strand,” she says, explaining that wildlife ranging from dolphins and sea turtles to more than 200 species of birds are among the sights to look out for when visiting.
Groups are also encouraged to enjoy fishing and crabbing, self-led scavenger hunts, hiking the nature trail, attending an educational and interactive natural history program, and swimming during the summer months.
An open-air shelter that has electricity, picnic tables and a grill is available for group meal gatherings.PageBreak
Brookgreen Gardens
Brookgreen Gardens, founded in 1931, is located about 30 minutes from Myrtle Beach in Murrells Inlet. According to Molly Mercer, sales and marketing associate at the attraction, it was the country’s first public sculpture garden and today is a National Historic Landmark consisting of 1,200-plus pieces of sculpture.
“Groups enjoy having a private guided walking tour in the Huntington Sculpture Gardens, which includes the history of Brookgreen Gardens and the collection of Anna Hyatt Huntington and other well-known American sculptors,” she says.
Daily creek excursion cruises aboard The Springfield, a 48-foot pontoon boat, are also popular with groups, she adds, as is visiting hundreds of species of butterflies native to the Southeastern U.S. at the Whispering Wings Butterfly House, open from April through October.
“There is also the popular Nights of a Thousand Candles in December where groups may stroll through the sculpture gardens that are lit with thousands of luminaries and twinkling lights while enjoying carolers and musicians among other delightful festivities,” Mercer says. “This is a particular group favorite.”
In conjunction with a tour, Brookgreen Gardens accommodates private events ranging from holiday parties to business meetings in its impressive array of indoor and outdoor spaces.
Contributing writer and Northeast native Carolyn Blackburn will never forget her first dive into Myrtle Beach’s waters. While locals fled for shore because they thought the ocean felt too cold, she thought it felt like bath water.
